Love In Between
Chapter 5

Returning home after having been with him has been difficult to say the least. I had loved the city, the people seemed lovely, and of course; I had an amazing time with Gael. What happened with him was my best secret. Neither Sara, nor Lucca, whom I saw again before I left, knew what happened or with whom. Entering my lonely apartment in Madrid made me want to return to Benalmádena immediately, but it was impossible; I had a mission, to become the best publicist.

July 24th

Tomorrow is the deadline to hand in my proposal, if I win it; I will have a very good contract with one of the biggest cell phone companies in the country. I just hope my advertising sketches are good enough for what they want to do. I finish up the final details and take one last look at it so I can go to the office tomorrow and deliver it to them in person.

My cell phone rings for about the tenth time today and again I decide to ignore it; it’s Gael, but I’ll call him later. I don’t have time for his erotic conversions right now; I need to concentrate.

Another cup of coffee disappears and it’s safe to say that the publicity sketches for tomorrow are ready. I put them away properly and get ready for bed; I’m dead tired.

The next day: July 25.

The tinted doors of the large building return the image of a woman dressed in a white knee-length skirt, black silk shirt rolled up and two buttons open, black stiletto heels, hair tied in a ponytail, and subtle makeup for the occasion. I take a deep breath and open the door.

I explain the reason for my visit to the receptionist and sit on the black leather sofa at the front desk. I wait patiently while watching the movements of the people around me. The place is very modern with metal details and lots of glass that highlights the white walls and especially the elegant staircase.

-Serena Hauser,” asks a tall black-haired man with black eyes as he walks towards me.

Immediately, I stand up and extend my hand to shake with his. -Yes, it’s me, nice to meet you.

-Santiago Batista,” he introduces himself. -He asks me to follow him and opens a door leading to a wide hallway. -I’ve been looking at your portfolio on your website,” he comments and opens another door for us to enter a large office with a large conference table.

-I’ve only uploaded some of the work I’ve done, but what I’m bringing you is totally different. – I explain as he pulls one of the chairs around the table for me to sit in and then he sits in the chair opposite me.

in the chair across from me.

You are a very well-rounded publicist. You not only know how to design, but you also draw and you are an excellent photographer,” he says and his words surprise me.

-Thank you very much, Mr. Batista,” I say firmly and begin to take the sketches out of the portfolio I brought with me.

He looks at them one by one and smiles, “They are fascinating, but there has been a change of plans,” he says somewhat embarrassed and stares at me.

-What does that mean? Won’t you need a publicist by now? I ask a little worried.

-We will need one, but the main quality will be photography. It happens that the company has made an image contract with a very important businessman in the industry and we have decided that the campaign will be based one hundred percent on him, are you still interested in the work contract if it is only about developing that kind of advertising? he asks me and it is clear that I want that contract. That will be the door to make my experience grow and thus be able to obtain contracts with other companies.

-Of course I do,” I say firmly and he smiles.

-The prices for your service can remain as you sent them in the initial proposal without the sketches.

-Okay, that sounds fair,” I say happily.

-Then I will introduce you to the person you will be working with. He is just here signing some papers,” he says and stands up. -Please follow me,” he asks and once again I follow in his footsteps.

As I enter the new office, I am in a state of shock. I look around and there are two more people besides him. One of them is a blonde, of normal height, another is a man in a gray suit sitting on the other side of the desk and there he is next to the woman.

-Serena Hauser, this is Gael Marti, his partner Dinora Faberman, and the marketing director Raul Colina. Gael this is Serena and she is the consultant for the advertising campaign; you will be working with her,” he explains and Pablo’s look says it all.

I greet Mr. Colina, his partner, and then I approach him to greet him with two k****s -Hello- I say softly and before I can separate, he grabs me by the waist.

-Hello, beautiful. I understand why you didn’t answer my calls. I’ll meet you at the bar on the corner on the way out of here,” he says.

-I just answer and follow Santiago’s instructions while he explains what they want from the campaign.

I can’t believe it. Of all the people who could have been the image of the campaign, it is just him. The man with whom I am having casual encounters and from time to time encounters through a camera phone.

That contract was my first achievement with a multinational company as a consultant, but it was also the beginning of a series of situations that I didn’t expect to happen.